Mauricio Vila Dosal, Governor of Mexico's Yucatan state, said that its Tren Maya project, a train designed to show tourists the Mayan history of the Yucatan Peninsula, is taking shape once again following a pause due to the pandemic.
"For us here in Yucatan, and for my fellow governors in Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas and Quintana Roo, it is a great opportunity to attract tourism," Vila Dosal said at Tianguis Turistico, an event for the Mexican tourism industry.
“The economic spillover will be over $40 million pesos, which will go to roads and will generate 1,000 forms of employment.”
As reported by Travel Weekly, the rail line is designed to give tourists greater exposure to Yucatan's Mayan history, and will run from Cancun in Quintana Roo to Palenque in the Chiapas state in the south.
The first leg of the Tren Maya rail line is expected to be running "sometime next year," linking the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Campeche. The entire project is set to be completed by 2024. Travellers can ride the train south along the peninsula to encounter archaeological sites, Mayan cuisine, the Yucatan Riviera, and destinations such as the city of Progreso.
The train will also offer a variety of experiences, with the most basic being passenger cars for commuting locals and tourists taking a short trip; dining cars with regional cuising; and the third containing sleeping compartments for overnight trips.
